Council authorizes staff to initiate 25-year lease with Friends of the Vergennes Opera House; group reports $1.217M raised

City Manager Ron Redmond introduced Gerianne Smart of the Friends of the Vergennes Opera House during the March 27 meeting to update the council on fundraising for the All Access Project and seek authorization to initiate a 25-year lease as approved by voters on March 5, 2024. Smart reported the project has received $300,000 from a Northern Borders Grant, $500,000 in Congressionally Directed Spending, $272,000 in COVID relief dollars, $15,000 from the Preservation Trust of Vermont, and $130,000 in matched smaller grants, for a total of $1,217,000 committed to date. She said approximately $250,000 remains to be raised to release matching funds and that a delay in the movement of funds has shifted the anticipated groundbreaking to next year.

Alderwoman Sue Rakowski moved that staff be authorized to initiate the 25-year lease between the City of Vergennes and Friends of the Vergennes Opera House; Mayor Chris Bearor seconded the motion. Alderman Mark Koenig asked for a clean copy of the lease; City Manager Redmond said he would prepare a finalized version for inclusion in a future packet. Visitor Mel Hawley asked whether the Mayor had authority to sign leases under the City Charter; council discussion clarified that the motion was to initiate the lease and that the finalized document will be returned to council for review and signing in accordance with charter requirements. The motion passed unanimously (7–0).